sighting
Britishnoun
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an occasion on which something is seen
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Another name for sight
Explanation
A sighting is an instance of discovering or observing something. You might use your telescope to watch the night sky for hours in the hope of a UFO sighting. Your friend, an avid birdwatcher, gets excited at every woodpecker or heron sighting he makes, while you're more interested in sightings of used bookstores. A sighting of your favorite pop star — a quick glimpse as she ducks into a limousine — might be thrilling for you and your friend! Sighting, "an instance of catching sight," dates from the mid-19th century.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The last reported sighting of the St Malachy's College student was at Northwood Road close to the tunnel inlet, more than 600m upstream from where his body was discovered six days after he went missing.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
A sighting of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., chatting with Mickey Mouse, wand in hand, felt almost cathartic.
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
Islam follows a lunar calendar with each month starting at the sighting of the moon.
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
Long framed by a tin roof and a tent, the theater had a reputation for discomfort, as it was a source of punishing heat and the occasional mouse sighting.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026
I strain my eyes, hoping for another gray whale sighting.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
